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Old 01-06-2019, 05:33 PM   #2421
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I switched all lights to LED.
I noticed our electric bill went up for Christmas, before I made the switch, now I can't see the increase, so I estimate (very unscientific) we are saving $10 electricity each December.

I did have 1 net light of LED's go out, I haven't looked at it to see why.
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Old 01-06-2019, 06:02 PM   #2422
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Originally Posted by Souschef View Post
This was a small victory for me. we have 2 10 bulb strings in series across our front porch. It has always been a PITA to take them down and pull the bulbs and use an ohmmeter until I found the right one.
This time I had a better idea- I used a small flashlight and a jeweler's loupe to look at each filament. I found the bad one in about 5 minutes! It was number 5 in the string of 10.
You can also use a non-contact voltage tester. It quits beeping at the dead bulb.
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Old 01-06-2019, 09:08 PM   #2423
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Replaced the grille on DD's Subaru Impreza. She didn't notice the car in front of her was stopped. Only dropped 3 screws, and eventually found them all. It would be great if I could get through a job without dropping something essential in a nearly irretrievable spot, but it seems to happen every time.

Found a new genuine Subaru grille from a Subaru dealer online for over $100 less than local dealer wanted.
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Old 01-06-2019, 09:24 PM   #2424
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Originally Posted by Sunset View Post
I switched all lights to LED.
I noticed our electric bill went up for Christmas, before I made the switch, now I can't see the increase, so I estimate (very unscientific) we are saving $10 electricity each December.

I did have 1 net light of LED's go out, I haven't looked at it to see why.
I’ve been very disappointed with outdoor LED Christmas lights. I have four or five strands where a third of the strand will not light. I don’t know how to repair them or if it’s even possible or worth it. I’m about ready to go back to the regular bulbs. At least those worked a couple years and could be replaced cheaply buy shopping after Christmas deals. The LEDs that we’re supposed to last many (10+) years lasted three or four years and cost way more than the regular bulbs.

Inside, all bulbs in my lamps and fixtures are LED and I’m very happy with them.
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Old 01-06-2019, 09:47 PM   #2425
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I’ve been very disappointed with outdoor LED Christmas lights. I have four or five strands where a third of the strand will not light. I don’t know how to repair them or if it’s even possible or worth it. I’m about ready to go back to the regular bulbs. At least those worked a couple years and could be replaced cheaply buy shopping after Christmas deals. The LEDs that we’re supposed to last many (10+) years lasted three or four years and cost way more than the regular bulbs.

Inside, all bulbs in my lamps and fixtures are LED and I’m very happy with them.

I wonder why my experience is so different? I just buy them at Walgreens (I got a decent price ~ $5 for a 50 string IIRC), and I wanted to try to get the same for as much consistency in the 'warm white' color as possible. So I'm not buying anything of superb quality, just commodity stuff. There is a site where they sell high end LED strings, all filtered for no flicker, etc.

It's really odd to have 1/3rd of the string out. All my 50 LED strings seem to be wired as 25 in one polarity, 25 in the other ( so each half is lit on one-half cycle of the AC). So @ about 3V per LED, that's 75V at their full ON threshold, and the resistor drops the voltage above that up to the AC peak of ~ 160V. So even an open somewhere (bad wire or connection) would end up with half out?

I have not had any failure, but I think I read that an individual LED will fail shorted, so the remaining series LEDS would stay on, but their life would be less if the added current over heated them (not likely with just one out).

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Old 01-06-2019, 10:19 PM   #2426
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You can also use a non-contact voltage tester. It quits beeping at the dead bulb.
Thanks for the tip, I will try this on my net light that went out, maybe its just 1 bulb that is the problem. I don't even know if they are replaceable but it can't hurt to look.
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Snowthrower blade DIY fabrication
Old 01-20-2019, 12:57 PM   #2427
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Snowthrower blade DIY fabrication

Just in time for this gift of frozen white bliss many of us are experiencing.


My little Toro S-120 electric snowthrower needed new rubber blades. It's a tiny machine (about 11" wide, 7 amps), but it is handy and still works well. The original solid rubber blades had cracked and come apart. Replacement blades aren't available from Toro anymore (and when they sold them they were about $25 for a pair).
I bought 1 foot of conveyor belt fabric from Rural King ($6, enough to make 2 sets), and spent about 20 minutes cutting them out and fitting them to the machine. I just used them for about two hours moving snow on my driveway, they worked great and look to be holding up well. Yea! I'm optimistic that they'll last awhile as they have reinforcing fabric that the original rubber blades lack. We'll see.

I got the idea from a YouTube video where a guy was cutting replacement blades for a bigger snowthrower from the sidewalls of an old tire. He mentioned that conveyor belt fabric was the best thing, but not always available. From what I saw, it looks a lot easier to make them from conveyor belt fabric than a tire sidewall.
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Old 01-20-2019, 01:55 PM   #2428
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Just in time for this gift of frozen white bliss many of us are experiencing..........
I did something similar only I used a heavy truck mudflap. It had an internal fabric reinforcement.


Sadly, I left it behind when I moved to warmer climes.
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Old 01-21-2019, 03:00 PM   #2429
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Not sure if this post should go on this thread or "What did you order from Amazon recently".

A few days ago we found an unknown plastic part in the bottom of the dishwasher, obviously broken off something and somewhat mangled. I had absolutely no idea what it was or where it had come from or fallen off of. Examining it more closely I found what I hoped were part numbers - 8268326 and 8268355, one above the other.

Searching on "Kitchenaid" and one of the two part numbers at a time I discovered that this was either a manifold tube or feed tube, depending on what site I found it on. It feeds water from the back of the dishwasher to the upper spray arm to get water to the glasses/dishes on the top rack.

Other places had it cheaper, but I was more confident that Amazon Prime would get it here in a reasonable amount of time so I ordered it and the silverware basket (ours has a hole in one basket). They promised it by Wednesday and it arrived today, two day's early! I had to do a little cutting and fitting on the funnel end since it was too big to fit through the other part that aligns it with the water pipe at the back of the dishwasher, but in all other respects it fit just right. Five minutes and a Phillips screwdriver were all that was needed.

If it starts a flood or fire I'll let y'all know, but at the moment I'm optimistic.
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Old 01-21-2019, 03:45 PM   #2430
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We have a circa 1992 Subzero built-in fridge. About a year ago, the light would intermittently not come on when the door was opened. There's a switch at the bottom of the door that controls the light. DW and I quickly figured out that if you lightly tap the switch with your toe, the light would come on. Sometimes it took two taps.

Fast forward one year and the toe tapping routine no longer worked. I found the parts list for our model online, located the part number, and ordered the new switch on Amazon, which was available for same-day shipping. Install could not have been simpler, using just a Phillips screwdriver. I probably should have turned the breaker off to the fridge, but everything hooked up with insulated slide-on connectors, so I didn't bother. Total repair time, about 10 minutes. Cost $14.95 (and that was for a two-pack of switches, so I have a spare... if I live that long).
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Old 01-21-2019, 05:34 PM   #2431
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Similar experience with our washer. Went out the Sunday before NYE with a house full of sick kids. Not good. Was going to be a 5 day wait for repair. Got online and started troubleshooting and quickly determined it was likely the drain pump. Ordered a new one on amazon that shipped for next day delivery free with prime for $55. Installed it in about an hour 24 hrs after it died. DH thinks I’m a rock star!
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Old 01-21-2019, 08:28 PM   #2432
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Just completed an install of an on-demand water heater. Was quite the project - involved running gas line, water line, electric, pvc vent, and drain line for condensate. https://www.faucetdepot.com/faucetde...roduct=176008&. I think I covered nearly all the areas of mechanical systems, even got to get a bit of concrete dust going with a hammer drill to mount it on the wall in the cellar.
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Old 01-22-2019, 04:47 AM   #2433
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Replaced faulty flush valve, tank washers and bolts in my toilet. Total cost...$40.00. Plumber would have charged $100 for the service call plus a premium for the parts.
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Old 01-22-2019, 07:15 AM   #2434
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I'm currently almost done with a full bathroom remodel/rebuild. The old toilet was leaking, and caused the floor to get soft, and we hadn't used the tub in ages.

I tore everything out down to the studs on the floor, walls, and ceiling, replaced all the electrical, and plumbing. I hung, mudded, taped, sanded all of the drywall, and installed a new floor that was 2 layers of 3/4" plywood, and then laid down new lino. There are new LED can lights in the ceiling, and a 4 bulb fixture on the wall over the new mirror. I put a 5'x3' shower base, with surround walls, and mounted all the new fixtures with PEX line that had to be connected to our old copper water lines. I replaced all the drains, and traps in the basement all the way to the septic tank, ran new supply lines for the toilet, sink, and shower, and had to strategically drill new holes in the new floor to route them in the proper places. My wife painted the whole room, and I still have a barn style sliding door to build in the next month or so for privacy.
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Old 01-22-2019, 08:42 AM   #2435
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Not much to repair in the little snowbird condo, but I managed to swap out kitchen and bathroom can light bulbs with led fixtures.
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Old 01-22-2019, 09:25 AM   #2436
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Yesterday I cut and installed 8" tall preprimed, MDF baseboard around two rooms in our new house. I was lazy and did the cutting inside (it is -2F outside). So today I have sweep up all that fine dust since the shopvac can't touch it.

Also coughing a fair bit today... was also to lazy to wear a mask yesterday...

There's a pattern here somewhere.....
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Old 01-22-2019, 05:33 PM   #2437
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Yesterday I cut and installed 8" tall preprimed, MDF baseboard around two rooms in our new house. I was lazy and did the cutting inside (it is -2F outside). So today I have sweep up all that fine dust since the shopvac can't touch it.

Also coughing a fair bit today... was also to lazy to wear a mask yesterday...

There's a pattern here somewhere.....
My dad was a master carpenter and passed from lung cancer, the primary cause was likely breathing in saw dust over many years, hardly anyone wore mask back in those days. And yes, MDF is some nasty stuff with all the fine particles created when cutting it. The risk are probably minimal for short term exposure but still worth investing/using a good mask.
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Old 01-22-2019, 05:39 PM   #2438
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I'm currently almost done with a full bathroom remodel/rebuild. The old toilet was leaking, and caused the floor to get soft, and we hadn't used the tub in ages.

I tore everything out down to the studs on the floor, walls, and ceiling, replaced all the electrical, and plumbing. I hung, mudded, taped, sanded all of the drywall, and installed a new floor that was 2 layers of 3/4" plywood, and then laid down new lino. There are new LED can lights in the ceiling, and a 4 bulb fixture on the wall over the new mirror. I put a 5'x3' shower base, with surround walls, and mounted all the new fixtures with PEX line that had to be connected to our old copper water lines. I replaced all the drains, and traps in the basement all the way to the septic tank, ran new supply lines for the toilet, sink, and shower, and had to strategically drill new holes in the new floor to route them in the proper places. My wife painted the whole room, and I still have a barn style sliding door to build in the next month or so for privacy.
Big job! Post a picture if you can.
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Old 01-23-2019, 12:34 PM   #2439
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My HW tank sprung a leak last night...actually, very good timing as I'm leaving on a lengthy trip on Monday. I picked up a new Rheem 40 gallon (48 US) tank for $349...after tax and 2 SharkBite fittings, I have a brand new HW tank for about $435.

Local quotes run around $1200 - $1300 after tax so I saved about $800 for 2 hours of work.
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Old 01-23-2019, 06:22 PM   #2440
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My HW tank sprung a leak last night...actually, very good timing as I'm leaving on a lengthy trip on Monday. I picked up a new Rheem 40 gallon (48 US) tank for $349...after tax and 2 SharkBite fittings, I have a brand new HW tank for about $435.

Local quotes run around $1200 - $1300 after tax so I saved about $800 for 2 hours of work.
Congrats. My Rheem 6 year water heater died at about 5 years (I think it was the salt in our softened water). FWIW, Rheem and HD both gave me a little static regarding my warranty claim. They said I could have a new water heater if I paid the difference between the price I bought mine for and the price on the current model of the same thing. That's not a bad deal, but my warranty said I'd get a replacement water heater (no charge) if it died before 6 years. I had to call Rheem, read the rep the exact wording, quote her the form number and revision date, then she finally "found" the correct (more generous) version of the warranty. They then offered to honor the old wording, or I could pay the difference (about $100) and the replacement water heater would come with a 6 year warranty. So, I opted to pay the $100 to get the 6 year warranty.


Bottom line: I recommend you hold on to your warranty paperwork (mine is in a big ziplock bag taped to the water heater) in case they again weaken the warranty and "can't find" the version that applies to you.

I also installed an active anode device in place of the stock Mg sacrificial anode. I'm now hoping to get 20 years or more out of this WH.


Good luck!
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